Turk
by Lacks Gravitas
Summary: Private Strife isn't prepared when a routine escort mission becomes something much more deadly. An alternate take on Episode 5 of Before Crisis that leads up to a drastic shift in Cloud's fate. He always did look good in a suit. Rated for coarse language.


**Turk: Prologue**

Cloud yawned involuntarily. Though technically morning, the sun was nowhere to be seen. Not even the farm hands at home over woke so early. It was still hours before Reveille on the base and while his bunk was hardly the most comfortable of accommodations, it was a far sight better than standing watch in the cold at such an ungodly hour.

In Nibelheim, Cloud would still have been fast asleep, snug in his cozy bed. Three short months ago, he'd have been happy if he never set foot in that old backwater village again. Now… he missed his bed. He missed home cooked meals. He even missed his mom's incessant nagging that he find a nice girl to settle down with.

An older girl. One who could take care of him.

...It was always the same speech! Always, even in her letters! What the hell was he thinking? He didn't miss that at all! She was always such a busybody. So overprotective! So overbearing! So… Ugh!

Cloud loosened the straps of his helmet before removing it and exhaling a longsuffering sigh. The chilly night air bit at his ears, but it was better than suffocating in that stuffy tin can.

"What's eating you, rookie?" a somewhat heavyset soldier in a standard Shinra uniform asked. Sergeant Collins was a gruff, unpersonable man but he was fair with his subordinates so long as they didn't step too far out of line. Woe to those who did, however, because his temper was legendary.

"Don't mind him, Sarge," laughed another soldier at the Collins' side. "Country bumpkin here was probably thinking about his mommy back home."

"Shut up, Ramsey!" Cloud retorted, cheeks aflame with embarrassment.

Private Ramsey never missed an opportunity to humiliate Cloud. The two boys had the unfortunate history of being bunkmates in boot camp. Cloud had taken an immediate disliking to him. Ramsey was too irreverent and insincere, all smiles and laughs but with a hidden mean streak that reminded Cloud of the bullies at home.

"Can it, both of you!" their superior barked. "This isn't some damned picnic! You're soldiers on active duty so start acting like it! We've got a VIP here, in case you haven't noticed!"

A short brunette woman in a white lab coat shifted uncomfortably between them, eyes wary with apprehension. "Are you sure it'll be alright with just the three of you, Sergeant Collins? I was expecting a larger escort…"

Ramsey, ever the one to posture in front of a woman, stood at attention and saluted. "Not to worry, Doctor Rayleigh! No AVALANCHE hooligans will lay a finger on you on my watch!"

"How… reassuring," Rayleigh said with a weak smile, not looking assured at all.

The Doctor had been pacing in circles ever since their arrival to the station. Collins and Ramsey either didn't notice or didn't care about her restlessness, but Rayleigh's unease set off red flags in Cloud's head. He could understand being nervous, but it felt like there was more to the story than simple jitters. Her behavior suggested she was almost expecting something bad to happen.

Oblivious, Ramsey grinned and saluted at her once again before turning to Collins. "Sir, why haven't we left yet? The conductor already gave us a green light to depart." He gestured at the idling train nearby.

The Sergeant shook his head. "Negative, Private. Our orders are to hold position until backup arrives."

Rayleigh straightened and stopped her pacing. "So they're sending someone else after all?" she asked, eyes alight with hope.

Cloud frowned. The mission briefing hadn't mentioned anything about additional personnel. "Does that mean they think we can't handle a simple escort?"

"Speak for yourself, chocobo butt," Ramsey jeered. "If you're not up for it, go ahead and mosey on back to the barracks." He paused, thoughtful. "Did I use that right? You country hicks say 'mosey' all the time, right?"

Cloud had barely formed a retort on his tongue when the Sergeant's terse whisper cut him off. "Quiet and form up, you idiots! We've got company."

Following the barrel of the Collins' rifle, Cloud could make out a shadowy figure approaching from the far end of the platform. Fumbling for a moment, he readied his own weapon as Ramsey followed suit.

"Stop and identify yourself," Collins' low rumble reverberated through the empty station. "This area is off limits to non-authorized personnel."

The slow, measured footsteps came to a brief halt.

"Good. Now step into the light. Slowly."

The figure complied, edging under a nearby lamp post. It was a woman, short by normal standards but probably about eye level to Cloud. Her blonde hair was style into a shoulder length bob. She looked young, in her early to mid twenties perhaps, and wasn't unattractive, which meant Ramsey would inevitably be hitting on her.

That is, he probably would have were it not for the woman's uniform: a black unisex business suit with matching tie and dress shoes.

"A Turk," Collins muttered derisively, swearing under his breath. If there was one branch of Shinra that the regular army resented more than SOLDIER (quite the achievement), it was the Investigation Sector. Though technically a part of the Department of Public Safety under Heidegger, Shinra's elite special ops agents answered only to the President himself. At least SOLDIER still had to follow a chain of command.

Cloud wasn't disturbed by the Turk's presence so much as the implications of it. Not much beyond hearsay was really known about them outside the upper echelons of the company, but all of the rumors did agree on one thing: wherever a Turk went, trouble followed. If Shinra saw fit to send one to protect Doctor Rayleigh, this simple escort had suddenly become anything but.

"If you know who I am, that will make this faster," the Turk said, resuming her walk. "Doctor Rayleigh, I apologize for the wait. I'm with the Investigation Sector and will be joining your escort this evening."

"The brass never said anything about you being a Turk," Collins' groused, but lowered his weapon.

Cloud, though nervous, did the same sans the surliness. He offered a polite nod to the Turk which she returned.

Ramsey seemed torn. His dislike of the Turks (which seemed oddly personal, though Cloud didn't know the details) was no less of a secret than the Sergeant's and the bigot in him visibly warred with the womanizer. The end result had him throwing his arms in the air and walking away.

Doctor Rayleigh alone offered a warm greeting. "It's a relief to see you, Miss…"

"I'm going by the alias 'Gun' for the moment."

"Miss Gun, then. A pleasure."

Even Cloud's pride punctured a bit over how Rayleigh's earlier apprehension had evaporated with the arrival of the Turk. He was beginning to understand why Collins and Ramsey were acting so standoffish. Not that he was one to spurn the extra help, but he couldn't help but wonder why Shinra HQ thought they needed it in the first place.

"We should get moving," Gun said, gesturing to the train. "Intel suggests AVALANCHE operatives are already on their—"

The sound of rumbling footsteps drowned out the rest of Gun's sentence.

"Shit, look! That woman from the Turks is already here, the one who killed Owens and the others!"

"Avoid engagement with her! Just hold her off until the Ravens get here! Focus on taking out the grunts and then grab the Doctor!"

"Down with Shinra!"

The sound of gunfire ignited the night air. Acting on instinct, Cloud ran to the Doctor and tackled her to the ground.

"Strife!" Sergeant Collins roared as he returned fire, "You and Ramsey get Doctor Rayleigh on that train. We are leaving. NOW!"

"I'll hold off AVALANCHE," the Turk said. She fired two shots from her pistol and two bodies dropped to the ground. "Get her to safety. Whatever happens, don't let them capture her."

"But what about you?" Cloud protested. Impressive shooting or not, a single Turk couldn't hope to survive alone against so many enemy combatants.

"I'm a professional," Gun replied cooly. "Let me do my job. I trust you to do yours."

"But…"

"Get on the train, Private!" Collins bellowed. Ramsey guided the Doctor swiftly into the nearest car as the Sergeant guarded the entryway. "That's an order!"

With a whistle the steam engine lurched to life and began to pull away. Still, Cloud hesitated. Rayleigh had Ramsey and the Sergeant, and they weren't in any immediate danger.

"You can't handle all of them alone," he insisted to Gun. "The Doctor is secured. Let me help you."

Firing a few more shots, the Turk turned and looked him directly in the eye for the first time. There was a steel in them that sent an involuntary shiver up his spine. "If you stay, I can't guarantee your safety. These terrorists won't care that you're a kid. They're going to do everything in their power to kill you. You either kill them first, or you die. Are you prepared for that?"

Cloud swallowed, suddenly unsure of himself. Even if he stayed, what help would he really be? He was barely even out of basic training.

"I thought so," the Turk said blandly. "Get going, kid. I'm used to this work. With any luck, you'll never be. Don't be in such a hurry to grow up."

"Strife! Get your ass on this train or I'll see to it you never get another chance at that damned SOLDIER exam in your life!"

Those words were the final push that sent Cloud sprinting after the train. Luckily it hadn't gained enough speed to outpace him and he stretched out his hand towards Sergeant Collins.

"AHHH!"

Then he heard a high pitched scream from behind him. Sparing a quick glance, he saw Gun kneeling on the ground, clutching her right shoulder, fingertips stained red. Three AVALANCHE soldiers nearby and at least twice as many reinforcements further back closed on her like a pack of hyenas.

Again, he hesitated. His pace slowed and the train began to inch away as it picked up steam.

"She's a goner, Strife! Leave her! You think some wet behind the ears brat will change anything? Stop trying to play hero and grab my hand!"

Somewhere inside Cloud, a switch flipped. He was tired of always being dismissed, of being underestimated as the runt. More than that, he was tired of his own powerlessness. Why did he really come to Midgar? He told everyone it was to join SOLDIER, to become a hero like Sephiroth and prove his worth. But deep down, he knew that wasn't the real reason. He could lie to his mother and to Tifa and to everyone else, but he couldn't lie to himself.

When the other kids called him a coward and a weakling, he didn't leave to prove them wrong. He left because he was afraid that they were _right._ And so he did what all cowards do: he ran.

Nothing had changed. He was still weak. Still a failure. Still a child who couldn't protect even a single girl. Still running away.

"Strife! For the last time: GET. ON. THE. FUCKING. TRAIN!"

Ears pounding with adrenaline, Cloud turned away from Gun so he could look Sergeant Collins in the eye. "With respect sir, fuck you!"

He stopped running, for what felt like the first time in his life.

"I'm not running away this time. Never again."

Fighting to steady his trembling hands, he cocked his rifle and aimed at the assailant nearest to Gun. His first burst recoiled harder than he'd expected and missed, but it did force the soldier to back off. Mustering every bit of focus in him, Cloud steadied his breathing and took aim again.

RA-TA-TA!

He had to fight the unwieldy weapon, but this time he found his mark. Red trickled out from three tiny bullet holes in the man's chest and he collapsed. A sickening crack echoed through the station as he hit the ground head first.

RA-TA-TA! RA-TA-TA! RA-TA-TA!

Three more targets followed suit. The rest of the AVALANCHE soldiers quickly noted their dwindling numbers and dove into cover. It was the opening Cloud had been hoping for. Laying down suppressive fire, he made his way forward to Gun. She was breathing heavily, having left a trail of blood in her wake when she'd dragged herself out of the line of fire behind a pillar. The Turk had not been idle and Cloud noticed a higher body count in the surrounding chaos than he'd expected, even taking into account her earlier kills along with his own.

"You can still shoot with that injury?" he asked, incredulous.

As if to prove a point, the Turk leaned around a corner and fired another round. An audible thud followed soon after. "Like I said, I'm used to this work," she said without looking at him. "I don't suppose you happen to be a combat medic?"

Cloud shook his head. "No, but I still might be able to do something. Can I take a closer look at that shoulder?"

She obliged wordlessly. Cloud was no doctor, but every recruit received some basic instruction in field medicine.

"The exit wound looks pretty nasty," he said after a cursory examination, "but that's actually not so bad because it means the bullet went clean through. I think I should be able to help in that case."

He checked the immediate vicinity for any hostiles. Gunfire was sparse and none of the enemies seemed eager to poke their heads out into the Turk's laser-like line of sight. Satisfied, Cloud set down his weapon.

"Sorry to be so selfish, but I need you to keep them off of us by yourself for a minute."

Laying his hands over the wound, Cloud closed his eyes and concentrated. He had no idea what he was doing, but all he could do was try and hope for the best.

"Cure!"

He wasn't prepared for the sudden mental fatigue accompanied by the spell and his vision dimmed briefly before he shook it off.

"First time using materia?" The Turk phrased it like a question but from the faint amusement on her face, he could tell it wasn't.

"Yeah," Cloud gasped, gulping for air like a fish out of water. "H-How did I do?"

Gun flexed her arm, gingerly at first, but grew more vigorous with increasing confidence. "Not bad. Thanks for the patch job."

He sat down, relieved. "Good. You're welcome."

"Where did you get your hands on that Restore? I thought materia wasn't issued to regular enlistees."

"It's not," Cloud confirmed. "It was… a going away present from my mom."

 _I hope it keeps you safe, Cloud._

"It was a pretty big surprise, actually. Where I'm from, materia isn't easy to get a hold of. She must have saved up for months when she knew I was leaving for Midgar."

"Sounds like a good mom. I hope you thanked her."

"Er… actually, I didn't," Cloud admitted sheepishly. "I'm pretty sure I complained that she didn't didn't get me Fire or Lightning instead."

The Turk stifled a laugh at that. "What a brat. Only child, I take it?"

Fire in his cheeks, Cloud nodded.

Gun didn't bother to suppress the laughter the second time around. He could hardly believe she was the same cold, unflappable Turk from before. She was actually approachable now, friendly even. In the middle of a firefight to boot. It was bizarre on so many levels. This wasn't how he'd expected a Turk to act. Gun seemed to share a similar impression with regard to him.

"Can't say I ever expected to get rescued by a kid like you when I took this mission. What's your name?"

"Cloud Strife. You can call me Cloud."

"Cloud," Gun repeated back, seemingly testing the sound of it. "I like it. Well, Cloud, you can call me Emma."

He grinned. "You mean your real name isn't Gun?"

"I _did_ say it was an alias." Emma's brief smile fell off as she loaded a fresh magazine into her pistol. Sharp-eyed and expressionless, she was all business again.

"Cloud, we're not out of the woods yet. That was some impressive shooting earlier. Think you can keep it up?"

Cloud retrieved his rifle and nodded. "I'll try."

"Good. I want you to hold this position. If you see a good shot go ahead and take it, but mostly I want you to keep them distracted. I'll use the shadows to sneak around and take them out from behind. Watch your ammo but fire often enough to keep them pinned down. Can you handle that?"

"Yeah," Cloud said with a confidence he wasn't quite sure he felt. "No problem."

"On my mark, then."

As he watched Emma leave, Cloud felt his pulse quicken. She was trusting him to watch her back. Someone's life was in his hands. The last time that had happened…

He shook his head, banishing the memory. Things would be different this time.

"Three."

 _Stay calm. You can do this. Just breathe._

"Two."

 _I won't fail this time. Emma's counting on me._

"One."

 _I'm not going to run away anymore. It might not be much, but I'll do everything I can!_

"Go!"

He leapt up from behind cover, scanning for a target… There! Most of the soldier's body was hidden behind a pillar but his foot was exposed.

"AUUUGH! What the FUCK!"

Yowling, the main reeled in pain, rolling out of cover. Cloud aimed for center of mass and fired three more rounds. Again, the weapon kicked like a mule but at least one of the bullets found its mark and the soldier went down.

"Shit! She got Jacobs! That fucking Turk bitch!"

"Just stay put! We've got word from Fuhito: the Ravens are almost here!"

"Finally! Fuckers took their sweet time."

Cloud frowned. Ravens? From the sound of it, they were probably a special AVALANCHE unit, or maybe some kind of weapon. Either way, it sounded like he and Emma didn't have much time left to clear the area and escape before they found out first-hand. The remaining AVALANCHE soldiers seemed content to dig in until their backup arrived. He had to give Emma the opening she needed.

RA-TA-TA! RA-TA-TA! RA-TA-TA!

Without any clear targets left, Cloud fired in controlled bursts like Emma had instructed. Luckily it didn't take much finesse to fire random bullets. Aside from training exercises, he'd never had much opportunity to practice shooting with his rifle and the muscles in his arms were beginning to strain from the strong recoil.

CLICK. CLICK.

His magazine ran dry sooner than he expected and Cloud cursed at himself for his carelessness. Though he went to reload as quickly as he could, at that moment one of the AVALANCHE operatives worked up the nerve to peek out from hiding.

"Hey, it's just a fucking kid!"

Panicked, Cloud fumbled with his weapon and it clattered to the ground. His entire body froze up and he could only watch in horror as the AVALANCHE soldier drew a bead on him.

"This is for Jacobs, you little prick!"

BANG! BANG!

"What the f—"

BANG! BANG! BANG!

The look of shock on Cloud's would-be assailant never left his face as he slumped forward and fell to the ground, unmoving. The sound of a handgun magazine sliding smoothly into place might just have been the most heavenly thing he'd ever heard.

"Cloud, are you alright?"

"Y-Yeah, thanks," he replied shakily. After retrieving his weapon he tried to stand, but his knees buckled and he fell back down. With the rush of adrenaline from earlier fading, a dull fatigue settled in and he decided to remain seated for the time being. He took the opportunity to survey the destruction around him. Every one of Emma's bullets had found its target. The last of the AVALANCHE soldiers was dead. It was over.

The fear slowly drained from him and was replaced by shame. "I… I'm sorry. When I saw him about to shoot, I couldn't even move. I just… froze up. If you hadn't stopped him, I…" His voice died in his throat and he found he couldn't finish that thought.

"I wish that I was strong, like you," he said very quietly in a voice hardly above a whisper.

Emma stepped out from the shadows. She had a grim expression on her face, but it wasn't of disgust or pity, or even disappointment; he'd seen it all before. It wasn't even sympathy. He wasn't sure what it was but, for once, Cloud felt like he wasn't being looked down upon for his failures.

Holstering her weapon, she crossed her arms and leaned back onto a pillar.

"Cloud, tell me something. Why do you want to become a SOLDIER?"

At Cloud's dumbstruck expression, she chuckled lightly and explained, "When your commander threatened to blacklist you from the SOLDIER exams, you took off after that train like a bat out of hell."

"Oh, right," Cloud mumbled, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

"So why SOLDIER, if you don't mind me asking?"

Cloud shifted uncomfortably. It wasn't that he minded the question exactly, but self-reflection had never been his strong suit. Thinking about his past and his reasons for leaving Nibelheim only dredged up painful memories and fed his insecurities.

"Okay, I'll tell you," he said quietly after some thought. "My home is a long way from Midgar. Nibelheim is a small town, really small. It's great if you fit in because everyone is so close, growing up with each other and everything. But for me, I've always been small and I'm not good with people. I got picked on all the time and nobody ever stood up for me. I hated them for singling me out. I hated myself for being so helpless. Most of all, I hated being alone."

Wincing in pain, Cloud realized he'd been clenching his hands so hard that his knuckles had turned white. Taking a breath to regain his composure, he idly reached for his fallen rifle to reload it and check for any jams. As much as he felt it didn't suit him as a weapon, maintaining it had become something of a habit, one that he found oddly soothing when he was stressed.

"Even a small town like ours would get news about the war with Wutai, and it seemed like Sephiroth was always in the headlines. He was so strong, 'unbeatable' they said. For someone like me, he was the greatest hero there could be. I saved every newspaper clipping about him. Whenever I was lonely or in a bad mood, I'd read them and it made things… well, not better… but I guess it gave me hope. I dreamed that someday, I could be a hero that everyone looked up to just like him."

He looked up at the night sky and it made him think of his promise with Tifa all those months ago. Back then, the stars had seemed so bright and full of hope. Now, they were cold and empty, staring down at him in silent judgement.

"I wanted to leave my past behind. I wanted to prove that everyone was wrong about me."

His gaze fell back down to his lap.

"I hated them. The kids who picked on me. The adults who turned a blind eye. All I wanted was to belong, but they wouldn't accept me. So I decided that I didn't need them… that I was better than them and all I needed was the opportunity to show it."

He slammed a fist against the concrete pavement, shoulders trembling.

"And that's your answer; that's the reason I wanted to join SOLDIER. Some clueless, selfish country boy with a chip on his shoulder had something to prove!"

He glanced up at Emma to gauge her reaction, glaring at her almost challengingly, but her expression was unreadable. She merely stared back at him impassively. After failing to provoke her, the indignation gradually ebbed from Cloud until only a hollow emptiness remained.

"Sorry," he muttered, apologetic. "I shouldn't have—"

Emma cut him off by raising a single finger across her lips. She unholstered her gun and waited. Confused, but certain Emma wouldn't pull out her weapon without cause, Cloud followed her lead by readying his rifle. He strained his senses, trying to detect any possible threats when he heard the soft padding of a single set of footsteps. Scrambling for cover, he hid himself behind a pillar opposite from Emma. As the mystery guest drew closer, Emma nodded at Cloud and mouthed for him to stay where he was.

When the figure passed under a lamp post, he recognized yet another soldier in an AVALANCHE uniform, only clad in dark grey and black instead of the more familiar tones of leathery brown.

"Stop," Emma commanded as she stepped out into the open and aimed her gun at the new arrival. "I presume you're the Raven your men mentioned earlier?"

"Turk," the man sneered as if the word were an expletive. He neither confirmed nor denied Emma's accusation and instead asked, "Where is Doctor Rayleigh?"

"I'm afraid you don't have the clearance for that information," Emma answered dryly. "And that's the last question I'll be answering. I suggest you answer mine before I decide there's no reason to keep you alive."

"She boarded the train already, then," the man surmised, ignoring Emma again. "No matter." He tilted his head slightly back. "Find her. I will deal with the Turk."

The hair on the back of Cloud's neck prickled. He hadn't even noticed the other two men until then. They withdrew as one, discarding stealth in a flurry to follow their leader's order. Silver flashed as the black AVALANCHE soldier unsheathed a sword.

"Now die, Shinra dog!"

He lunged. The air itself seemed to ripple in his wake. Emma had been a fair distance away, but the man closed the gap in the blink of an eye. The look of shock on her face was the most expressive Cloud had ever seen her in the heat of battle.

Metal met flesh, piercing cleanly through the Turk's lower torso as if she were meat on a skewer. Right before his eyes, Cloud's world shattered.

Impossible.

The AVALANCHE soldier withdrew his blade in a single, brutal motion. His victim collapsed to the floor, unmoving.

Cloud shook his head slowly, as if to deny the reality in front of him. Emma's prone form enveloped the entirety of his vision until it was all he could see. She was so still. Silent.

Like a corpse.

The scene blurred.

She was there, at the edge of his vision. He could almost reach out and touch her. He had to help her. But it hurt. So much. Everywhere. She was so close… And yet...

 _Why did you bring Tifa to a place like this!_

No! That wasn't it! He wanted to help her. He was watching. To keep her safe. But she slipped, and…

 _What if she dies?_

Die?

No! She wasn't… She couldn't!

The first thing Cloud noticed when he returned to his senses was the ringing in his ears. It took a while longer for him to register it as the sound of his own screaming.

"Is this your first time witnessing death?"

Cloud's gaze snapped to the black AVALANCHE soldier. The man was glowing, wreathed in an eerie purple light.

"Be at peace. She has returned to the Planet. As do we all."

The man mumbled some foreign sounding words that Cloud didn't recognize. There was a shift in the air and a pulsating black void rippled into existence. The shadows nearby seemed to converge on it, and from the dark portal a skeletal figure emerged, clad in a tattered black hooded cloak. It gripped a scythe with both hands, moonlight reflecting from the metal curve at the end of the shaft.

"As will you."

The reaper raised it's blade and Cloud fell to his knees. He'd failed again and would accept his punishment. He was done running. He closed his eyes and waited.

"Fira!"

His eyes snapped open at the sound of a familiar voice. Seconds later, the air exploded and the sheer force of it flung him back like a ragdoll until he tumbled to a stop. Frantic, he shook himself violently, desperate to regain his bearings.

Charred remains smouldered before him, the reaper reduced to ashes. Even from a distance, he could feel the heat of the flames licking at his skin. Beyond, in the shadows, a lone figured crawled towards him, shining like an avenging angel in wrathful ruby light.

"Emma! You're alive!"

But only just. Her face was a sickly white pallor and for every foot of ground she edged forward, she let an an involuntary cough that stained her lips red with blood. She smiled at him, an expression so fragile he feared it would break at the slightest breeze.

"C-Cloud… run."

She raised her arm, gun in hand, and her aim was startlingly steady. She pointed it at the AVALANCHE soldier. He'd been knocked to the ground by the earlier blast from Emma's spell but was beginning to stir.

BANG! BANG!

Two dark stains seeped into the chest region of the man's uniform but he barely seemed to notice. Jerkily, he rose from his slumped position onto his feet. He sifted through the area around him, evidently searching for his lost weapon. When his efforts went unrewarded, he lurched towards Emma. The smooth, efficient movement he'd displayed in the short fight against her earlier was gone. Instead, his motions were jerky and erratic.

"Turk," he rasped, and even his voice had changed, becoming gravelly and uneven. "We Ravens are Death incarnate, and Death cannot be stopped."

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Even with three shots to the gut at point blank range the Raven did not so much as flinch. Swatting away Emma's trembling hand, the gun flew out of her grasp and through the air. Whether by chance or by fate, it clattered onto the ground at Cloud's feet.

He stared at it briefly, the moment suspended in time. It was small, much smaller than his rifle. The weapon hardly seemed the instrument of destruction it had been in Emma's hands. She'd wielded it with such lethal precision that somehow he expected something more… Well, something more.

"UGH!"

His stupor was broken by Emma's anguished cry. The Raven had drawn her up by the collar of her suit and had proceeded to strangle her, fingers wrapped around her thin neck like a vice. Glancing at the handgun once more, Cloud summoned his determination and grabbed it.

It was heavier than he'd imagined but, somehow, that seemed appropriate. It didn't appear to adversely affect the balance of the weapon. On the contrary, as his finger slid over the trigger, Cloud felt a sense of rightness as if it had been tailor made for him. He found he could aim it with ease, lining up the barrel with the unsuspecting Raven.

There was no fear in him. No uncertainty. Just clarity of purpose and the will to follow it. He let out a breath as he squeezed.

"Let go of her, you freak."

BANG!

A single bullet to the head ended the nightmare. The Raven crumpled like a puppet cut from its strings. Emma fell to the ground and Cloud was on her in an instant.

"Emma! Are you okay?"

No response. Hysteria gripped him. Had he come this far only to fail when it mattered most? More than when he'd been caught reloading by the AVALANCHE soldier, more than when he witnessed the Raven impale Emma, Cloud felt a chill of terror down to his very core.

"Emma… I'm…"

He bit down on his lip until he drew blood, pain piercing through the haze of fear and restoring a sliver of composure. He wasn't a child anymore and he wasn't helpless. He could do more than just cry helplessly and hope for fate to be kind.

"Just hold on!" he urged, placing his hands over her wound. Though physically and mentally fatigued, he closed his eyes and concentrated.

"Cure!"

Gasping for breath as he released the spell, he watched and waited as the warm recuperative light suffused Emma's body. Even after it faded, she didn't stir. Cursing, he pried the Restore materia from the slot in his bangle. He clasped it with both hands and tried again.

"Cure!"

Once again, nothing. Sweat poured down from Cloud's brow, blurring his vision. He closed his eyes once more. Gripping the materia so tightly that his fingers numbed, he sent up a silent prayer.

 _Please. Just this once. Let me save just this one life. Give me the strength to protect just one person._

From the depths of helplessness, he summoned up every last bit of will, every fiber of his being. He imagined it all flowing into his hands, still clasping the materia, and he held it there.

 _Please… Please!_

On the verge of collapse, he released the spell.

"Curaga!"

A surge of power flowed from out of the materia. It was raw and primal, yet soothing, gentle, and… somehow nostalgic at the same time.

Like a mother's love for her child.

 _I hope it keeps you safe, Cloud._

A blinding light enveloped the area, coalescing into a pillar over Emma's body. Cloud marveled at it briefly before it disappeared as quickly as it had formed. His gaze wandered to the materia in his hands, but the pale crystalline orb looked unremarkable. From there, his eyes shifted over to Emma.

No longer unconscious, she looked weakened and confused, but alert. Each shallow breath seemed to grow a bit stronger with each succession and a bit of the color had returned to her face. Their eyes met and she smiled at him.

"Nice shot back there," she managed to croak and Cloud couldn't help but laugh.

"You're alive," he breathed, his exhaustion all but forgotten. "You're alive!"

He wanted to pump his fist and shout to the heavens, unable to remember the last time he'd felt such pure, unfettered happiness.

"Emma, you're alive!"

"Yes, I know I am," she commented wryly before the facade fell and she was right there laughing with him.

They must have spent a full minute like that before Cloud wiped the tears from his eyes.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Emma didn't answer right away. She gingerly touched the ugly stain where the threads of her clothes had been ripped. She frowned, pausing for a moment before she pulled up the flap of her suit and undershirt, revealing the flesh beneath. Cloud stared unwittingly at her exposed midriff. There was a long, thin scar when the Raven's weapon had pierced but otherwise no visible evidence that she'd been impaled remained. Catching himself before his gaze lingered too long, Cloud averted his eyes, blushing.

"Does it hurt?" he coughed. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Emma trace the scar with her finger.

"Only my pride," Emma murmured, folding the flap back down. "And probably my wallet once this is all over. You have no idea how much these suits cost."

Cloud grinned. "Wait until you get my bill. It's not easy patching you up after you get shot at and stabbed, you know."

"Maybe I should start a tab," Emma joked, and then her eyes grew tender. "Thank you, Cloud. I mean it."

"Oh, uh…" Cloud fidgeted for a moment, flustered. "No problem." He cleared his throat to hide his embarrassment and looked away. To his chagrin, his gaze happened to fall on the corpse of the fallen Raven. The blood was still pooling from under what was left of its face.

"What was that… _thing?_ "

Emma rose slowly to her feet, steadying herself with a hand on a nearby pillar. "It looks like AVALANCHE has their own version of SOLDIER."

Cloud's eyes widened. "Wait. That can't be right! I've heard SOLDIERs are strong but you can't be comparing them to that monster! He didn't go down even after you shot him so many times! And that magic he used…"

"I've never seen anything like it," Emma agreed. "Clearly there's some differences, but until now I've only seen SOLDIERs capable of striking that quickly and ferociously." She frowned, pensive. "If AVALANCHE is starting their own SOLDIER program, that would explain why they're after Doctor Rayleigh."

"What do you mean?" Cloud asked. "What does she have to do with SOLDIER?"

"She has a disk with sensitive files detailing SOLDIER medical procedures," Emma explained. "The specifics are classified and even I don't know them. My orders were simply to secure safe transfer to Shinra Headquarters."

"SOLDIER…" Cloud murmured, the name of Shinra's elite troops instilling a very different feeling in him than the admiration he'd clung to for so long. If they were _anything_ like that Raven…

He shook his head. No use dwelling on it at the moment. SOLDIER wasn't the enemy.

"Why do you think AVALANCHE is after the data?" he asked. "From what we saw, I'm pretty sure one of these things could more than hold their own against a SOLDIER."

Emma nodded. "So it would seem. If I had to guess, I'd say their current research probably isn't viable for mass production. If there were a lot more of these Ravens, I'd expect heavier resistance than what we've encountered from their organization up to this point. They've been sticking mostly to guerilla warfare and shock tactics, strategies that smaller forces tend to use when they're outnumbered."

"Sounds reasonable to me," Cloud agreed. The pieces all fit. There was one that still seemed to be missing, however… "Something's still bothering me, though. Even if AVALANCHE knew about the data, how did they know that Doctor Rayleigh would have it? Or that she'd be in this specific location at this specific time? It can't just be a coincidence and the only way they could have known is if…"

"Someone tipped them off," Emma finished for him. She didn't seem surprised by the possibility. "The Turks have suspected the company has had a leak for some time now. There have been multiple security breaches over the last few months because AVALANCHE had intel that they shouldn't. We've been investigating, but whoever it is covers their tracks very well."

"It must be someone important if they knew about the disk," Cloud pointed out. "Or maybe a group of people, I suppose. A lot of folks seem to have a grudge against Shinra these days."

"We've explored both possibilities and the former seems more likely. If it were multiple culprits, chances are that someone would have slipped up by now."

"So a high ranking Shinra official is leaking company secrets to a terrorist organization," Cloud summarized, considering the implications. His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden realization. "That means Doctor Rayleigh is still in danger!"

Emma frowned. "It's not easy to catch up to a speeding train, Cloud. I doubt even a Raven could outpace one."

"They wouldn't have to!" Cloud insisted. "All they have to do it block the tracks. If an insider is feeding them information, they'd know exactly which route to cut off. And the train has to loop around the plate, but AVALANCHE might not. I'm still not really familiar with the city, but there's probably a way, right?"

"The service tunnels!" Emma swore under her breath. "Damn it, you're right."

She jammed a hand into her pocket and pulled out a small black device. It was called a PHS, Cloud remembered. Ramsey had one that he hid under his bunk. He would always sneak off conspiratorially to use it when he thought nobody was looking. Probably to chat with the women he'd picked up, Cloud presumed. It was the perfect blackmail material, so he hadn't reported it to anyone yet.

"Cloud, stay here for a minute. Let me know if you see anyone coming."

Emma walked a short distance away, speaking in low tones to someone on the opposite end of the line. Left alone, Cloud realized he was still holding the Restore materia. As he replaced it back into the slot of his bangle, he noticed Emma hadn't retrieved her gun from where he'd dropped it. Figuring he could at least have it ready for her when she was finished with her call, he kneeled down to pick it up and stretched out his hand.

The next thing he knew, someone had his wrist in a vice grip. Stunned, Cloud followed his attacker's hand to the body of the Raven he thought he'd killed.

"YoU'Re tOo LaTE," the "corpse" gurgled, its speech slurred by the blood lapping out of its mouth. "thE wOMaN iS dEAd. YOU aRE DeAD. yOU wiLL All ReTurN tO tHE PLaneT."

Cloud tried to break away, but the Raven was still so _strong,_ impossibly strong for someone who'd lost so much blood and _had a hole in the head_. Fear gripped him, but then he remembered the Raven impaling Emma. He remembered it choking the life out of her. He remembered her purple lips and cooling skin as he desperately tried to revive her. Then the fear left him.

He grabbed the gun with his opposite hand and jammed the barrel into the Raven's eye.

"The only dead one is _you!_ "

Cloud wasn't ambidextrous, but luckily firing a pistol and point blank range didn't require much dexterity. He emptied the entire clip in the Raven's skull until nothing was left but a gaping crimson crater. The body slumped to the ground and Cloud pried its hand from his wrist but he wasn't finished. He searched the ground for the Raven's sword and walked it back to its owner, hacking at the neck until it was completely severed. He then kicked the head away as hard as he could before finally burying the sword into where a human heart should have been. He leaned onto the hilt, panting for breath.

"FUCK… huff… YOU!"

He twisted the sword like a corkscrew and fell backwards onto the floor.

"Cloud, what's going on!"

Emma had rushed back to the scene, gun in hand. Cloud supposed she had a spare. He pointed at the mangled corpse.

"It… huff…" He paused to catch his breath. "It wasn't dead!"

He expected her to scoff and dismiss him, as most sane people would have done, or at least demand proof. Instead, she glanced briefly at the body and nodded to him. "I'll add it to my report after this is over. Are you going to be okay on your own?"

Cloud frowned. "Why? Where are you going?"

"You were right," she said, sighing. "AVALANCHE collapsed one of the train tunnels. It's only a matter of time before they have to stop. I can probably make it there in time, but I have to hurry. I've already called for a clean up crew. Make sure you tell them about the body. The lab boys will want to study it."

Cloud leapt to his feet. "If you're going after Doctor Rayleigh, I'm coming with you."

Emma eyed him appraisingly. "Are you sure? There will probably be more Ravens. You saw the other two, didn't you? HQ dispatched SOLDIERs as a countermeasure, but I don't think they'll make it in time. I wouldn't count on any backup."

"Then you'll need someone to watch your back," Cloud stated, resolute. He shuddered at the thought at having to fight another Raven, much less two, but he wouldn't let Emma face them alone.

"Come on, then," Emma acquiesced after moment's hesitation. "We don't have much time. It may already be too late."

Cloud nodded. "Just point me in the right direction." He turned to follow, then paused. "Oh, um, here's your gun back."

"Hold on to it for now," Emma said, shaking her head. "You'll need a weapon and I think that one suits you much better than that rifle you were using."

She reached inside her suit and threw something at him. He caught it and found two extra pistol magazines, along with a handkerchief.

"Do me a favor and clean the blood off, though. You… don't have to return the handkerchief."

Cloud couldn't help but grin. "I take it this sort of thing happens a lot in your line of work?"

She smiled back at him wryly. "The blood, yes. The zombie thing is new, though."

* * *

Emma led the way through the winding service tunnels, occasionally referencing a map her superior had uploaded to her PHS. They moved as quickly as they could but both were running on fumes from the earlier firefight and Emma had just recovered from a crippling injury. Knowing another life was on the line was all the motivation that Cloud needed to keep going, though. He swore to himself that he would bring back Emma and Doctor Rayleigh alive.

"We're getting close," Emma whispered when they neared their target destination. "Get ready."

Cloud readied his weapon and nodded. Carefully checking around the corner, they saw the train at a full stop. A pile of rubble over the tracks was blocking passage. There wasn't any sign of Doctor Rayleigh or the AVALANCHE soldiers.

"Stay here," Emma ordered. "I'll take point. If you see anyone sneak up on me, don't bother warning me. Just take them out. I know you can shoot. I'll hear the shot and get to cover in case there's more."

"Okay," Cloud said, taking a breath. "Be careful."

He scanned the area for hostiles as Emma slowly advanced up to the train, but none appeared to impede her progress. After pushing a fair distance up, she stopped, kneeling to check something on the ground. Cloud squinted but couldn't be sure what exactly she'd seen. When she waved for him to move up, he did so. As he drew on Emma, the object of her scrutiny came into focus and his blood ran cold.

It was a body. In a Shinra uniform.

"Sergeant Collins," Cloud whispered in recognition. The mask still obscured his face, but his body build was unmistakable.

"He's dead," Emma confirmed. "Gunshot to the head. It wasn't a Raven."

"A small mercy," Cloud spat bitterly. "I should have been here. He told me to get on the train. I should have listened."

"If you did, then I'd be dead," Emma reminded him. "This wasn't your fault Cloud. You can't always save everyone."

The truth of that statement couldn't be denied. Not when he was staring right at the Sergeant's corpse. "No," Cloud agreed thickly. "You can't. That doesn't make it any easier to accept."

He turned away. "Doctor Rayleigh and Ramsey aren't here. They still might be alive."

"Ramsey was that other soldier's name?" Emma murmured. "He probably is, at least."

Cloud frowned at her. "What makes you say that?"

"Doesn't something about the body strike you as odd? Look at his weapon."

He did. It was still in good condition. Too good.

"The mag is full," Cloud said. "He never fired a single round."

"That's not all. I checked under his helmet before you got here. I'll spare you the grisly details, but the exit wound was at the _front_ of his head."

"Which means he was shot from the back. But you don't think that…"

"Given the choices between Rayleigh and Ramsey, there's only one real possibility."

Cloud clenched a fist, trembling. "Do you think he was working with AVALANCHE all along?"

Emma shook her head. "I'm not sure. You know him better than I do. Has he ever behaved suspiciously? Shown anti-Shinra sentiments, perhaps?"

Cloud froze. The pieces fell into place in his head. Could he have prevented this, after all?

"He had a PHS that he kept hidden," Cloud said numbly. He had to concentrate to keep from slurring the words, his tongue felt so heavy. "He would sneak out to use it at night a lot, when everyone else was asleep. I was in the bunk below him and I'm a light sleeper, so he would always wake me up. I didn't think… I mean, he had a lot of girlfriends, so…"

"I see… Anything else?"

"Yes. Well… maybe. I'm not really sure. It's just… He's always hated the Turks. A lot of soldiers do, but I always thought it was weird for him because he was just a recruit like me. Whenever we overheard some of the older soldiers complaining about the Turks in the mess, he would always get really quiet and he usually _never_ shuts up."

"Strange. But that doesn't prove much by itself, either. Can you remember anything else?"

Cloud shook his head. "No, we weren't very close," he confessed. "Actually, we hated each other. I knew he was an asshole, but a traitor?"

"It seems the company is full of them these days," Emma murmured. "In any case, I don't think it would hurt to screen any prospective employees a little more thoroughly."

"That doesn't help us out much right now, though," Cloud growled. "Sarge is dead and Rayleigh and the Ravens are probably long gone. What are we supposed to do now?"

"Keep a cool head, Cloud," Emma said, not unkindly. "We still haven't checked the train. Even if they're gone, we still might find some clues about where they went. Just don't let your guard down."

He took one last look at Sergeant Collins before nodding. This time, they move together towards the train, Cloud trailing a little ways back. As they neared the last car, a single voice could be heard grumbling.

"Why do I have to be the one to clean up this mess? AVALANCHE should be kissing my ass… Do you hear me, assholes!"

It was all the confirmation that Cloud needed. He stormed into the train before Emma could stop him.

"What the fuck did you do, Ramsey?" he demanded, his weapon trained on the traitor. They were alone in the car, neither Doctor Rayleigh nor any AVALANCHE soldiers to be seen. Ramsey was stooped over on the floor and looked to be literally cleaning blood from the floor.

"Strife?" Ramsey whirled on his feet. "Whoa! Easy. What's with the gun?"

"Shut up!" Cloud barked. "I know you sold us out to AVALANCHE, Ramsey. If you don't tell me where they took Doctor Rayleigh, I swear I will put a bullet in your brain!"

"Have you gone completely nuts, man?" Ramsey protested. "Why the fuck would I be working with terrorists?"

"Whose blood is that on the floor?" Emma asked, having followed Cloud into the train. She frowned disapprovingly at him but also had her gun drawn on Ramsey.

"W-What?" Ramsey spluttered. "The Turk is here, too?"

"Answer the question," Emma warned.

"It's mine! What do you think? AVALANCHE shot me and dragged the Doc away. Sarge went after them and you saw what happened to him! I watched the whole thing. Those Ravens are monsters! I'm not proud, but I played dead until they left and then used a potion to patch myself up."

"That doesn't explain why you're cleaning up your own blood," Emma noted.

"Is it a crime to be OCD? For fuck's sake! Put down the guns!"

"You're a fucking slob and you know it, Ramsey!" Cloud yelled. "Stop trying to bullshit your way out of this. If you got shot, where's the bullet? If the Ravens killed Sarge, why is there a bullet hole in his head showing he was shot from _behind?_ And how the _fuck_ do you know what those freaks are called in the first place?"

"You're out of your mind, man! I don't know where the fucking bullet is. Maybe one of those guys kicked it on the way out; I don't know. Who cares where Sarge was shot? He's dead! Have you seen those Ravens fight? They could pull off a shot like that, easy. And I know what they're called because I heard those other guys say it, just like you! 'Just hold her off until the Ravens get here', remember?"

"Unbelievable," Cloud said, shaking his head. "You are so full of shit, you should be in politics. I could almost buy it. But I know you've never seen a Raven in action because they don't use guns."

Ramsey grit his teeth. "Maybe not that one you saw. I'm getting sick of the false accusations, Strife. If you're gonna call me a liar, at least show some proof."

Cloud frowned, feeling an inkling of uncertainty. Ramsey had a seemingly reasonable explanation for everything. At least, almost everything.

"Sit down and keep your hands where we can see them," Cloud ordered. "SOLDIER is going to be here soon. They'll take you away and we're going to take that blood over there to get tested. If your story checks out and it's really yours, then maybe you'll have a leg to stand on."

Ramsey paled. "Wait. SOLDIER is coming? Fuck this shit, I'm out of here!"

He bolted, but hardly went two feet before Emma shot him in the leg. He yowled in pain and sat hard on the ground.

"Fucking Turk bitch!" he growled, eyes red with hate.

"Why would an innocent man run, I wonder?" Emma said patronizingly.

"Anyone with half a brain would know not to trust Shinra!" Ramsey spat. "Especially the Turks. Those Ravens might give me the creeps, but you're the real monsters!"

Emma shrugged at him and turned to Cloud. "He shouldn't be able to run anymore, but don't drop your guard. I need you to keep an eye on him while I make a call."

Cloud nodded at her and she left him with Ramsey. He sighed, feeling exhausted. The morning's events were all starting to catch up with him and he almost didn't even have the energy to be furious with Ramsey's betrayal.

Almost.

"Why did you have to kill Sarge?" he asked accusingly. "I don't get your grudge with the Turks, but it had nothing to do with him!"

Ramsey glared back at him unflinchingly. "Bastard got what he deserved. Anyone who works for Shinra should get the same."

Cloud punched him with every ounce of the failing strength left in him, which was apparently still hard enough to knock a tooth loose. Ramsey spat it at him.

"You punch like a little bitch, Strife."

"And you're a murderer," Cloud retorted, sorely tempted to wind up for a repeat.

"Maybe I am," Ramsey admitted, looking down at his hands. "When you've got so much hate in you, it's hard to keep these clean." He looked back up at Cloud. "It'll be you, someday, if you stay with Shinra. Nobody has more hate in them than those evil sons of bitches. If you keep doing their dirty work, your hands will be bloodier than mine."

"Shinra might not be perfect," Cloud agreed, "but I trust them a lot more than a terrorist group!"

"Today's terrorists are tomorrow's freedom fighters," Ramsey said softly. "If they win, that is. History is written by the victors, they say. I say I don't care who writes it, so long as it isn't Shinra. They do the worst, despicable things and then cover it all up like nothing ever happened. But I remember. So help me, I'll never be able to forget."

"Forget what?" Cloud asked, confused by Ramsey's sudden change in demeanor. "What are you talking about Ramsey? Why do you sound different?"

Ramsey stared at him levelly.

"I'm not going die living a lie, Strife. And I'm not going to die without at least one person who knows the truth that isn't a Shinra suit. Listen to me, Strife. My name's Cormac, not Ramsey, but that doesn't matter. What matters is your Turk friend is playing you for a fool. She doesn't give two shits about you, or anyone else who isn't paying her salary."

"You are—"

"Just shut up and listen!" Ramsey… Cormac whispered tersely. "Four years ago, Shinra destroyed Kalm in a bombing run. The whole town went up in flames and afterwards, nothing but cinders and ashes remained."

"You're lying," Cloud said irritably. "I passed through Kalm on my way to Midgar. Nothing was destroyed."

"That's because Shinra rebuilt it!" Cormac hissed venomously. "Kalm has existed for over 300 years! Did any of the buildings there look that old to you? Didn't things look a little too advanced for some sleepy country village? Didn't the townspeople seem a little too pro-Shinra when they could see their blighted farmlands every time they looked out a window? That's because they're on company payroll!"

"You're insane!" Cloud shouted, sickened by the ridiculous claims. "I can't believe I'm listening to this!"

"Do you know who's behind it all?" Cormac continued mercilessly. "The man who ordered Kalm's destruction and then helped cover it up? A man named Veld, the leader of the Turks! A man who called that very town home!"

"Cloud."

A hand come down on his shoulder. He turned and found that Emma had returned, flanked by two men in SOLDIER, Second Class uniforms.

"They're here. They'll take care of the rest. We should go."

"Tell her to ask Veld!" Cormac continued to shout as the SOLDIERs restrained him. "Ask him about the wife and daughter that he left to die! Ask him about Felicia!"

Cloud turned away, disgusted. "Yeah, let's go."

The last thing he heard when he left the train car was a broken man's weeping.

* * *

They boarded a different train that stopped to pick them up soon after. Cloud followed Emma to a private car that looked to be reserved for special Shinra employees only. It made him feel a bit awkward, but he had to admit that the accommodations were amazing.

"Do the Turks have any leads about Doctor Rayleigh?" he asked hopefully once they were both seated.

Emma shook her head. "No. AVALANCHE slipped through our network again. Their mole is very skilled at helping them evade our surveillance. Our only hope is getting Ramsey to talk."

"He said his name was Cormac," Cloud said absently. "I don't think you'll get anything useful out of him. All he would talk about was these insane ravings about Kalm being destroyed and Shinra covering it up."

"He sounds like a disturbed individual," Emma said, eyes somber as she stared out the window.

"He's a murderer," Cloud insisted flatly. "Whatever else he may have been, that won't change."

"He'll pay for his crimes, Cloud," Emma promised solemnly.

"I know," he sighed. "But it won't bring back Sergeant Collins or Doctor Rayleigh."

"No," Emma agreed. "It won't."

The conversation lapsed for a time and Cloud used the opportunity to collect his thoughts. It had been an eventful morning and the day way only yet beginning. He thought about AVALANCHE and the Ravens, and what they planned to do with the SOLDIER data. How many more innocent victims would there be, now that AVALANCHE had gotten what it wanted?

It was out of his hands now. He was just another grunt, after all. If anyone was going to bring AVALANCHE to justice, it wouldn't be him. If only… He discarded the thought before it fully formed. It was stupid. It would never work. He tried to tell himself so, thinking up every reason for why it would never happen, but a small part of him couldn't help but hope. It wouldn't hurt to ask, would it?

"Emma," he called her name suddenly, mustering up his courage. "I… I want to join the Turks."


End file.
